Single, young, un-domestic professional trying to find her way in the land of the cubicle and in a new city.

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meant to publish this friday but then i got side-tracked by the overwhelming desire to bake. and since that happens every Olympics i had to take advantage. amanda’s protein bars= delish. and will surely be gone by tomorrow if they miraculously last the night. they were also much better than this blog post but for some reason i felt like delayed posting..so away we go.

1. Bmore got dumped on and I got my snow daaaaaay! Praise be. Now winter exit stage left and make room for spring puh-leez. I know complaining about the weather is so tired at this point but I was telling someone on Wednesday that it feels like eons since it was warm. Dramatic? Always. But really, I feel like it’s been freezing for so long now. Let’s get on with me complaining about sleeping when I’m hot. I took a sick day on Friday because I was kind of nauseated and didn’t feel like digging my car out so I figured I’d let the sun, if it ever showed up, and time help me out. Our alley rarely gets plowed and is always a mess whenever it snows, so Wednesday I thought I was being SOOO smart and parked my car on the street. Well, wouldn’t you know, our alley got plowed and is perfect. My car was where, of course, the sun was not hitting and all the snow turned to ice and I just cannot deal. Never winning. It took an hour and a half. Of course, a lot of that is probably my piss-poor technique, but alas, we move on.

2. My company doesn’t make the decision to have a standard operating day, delay or closing anywhere between 6:45-7:15. I could scream from the rooftops (or whine on the Internet) how much I hate this. I get to my office around 6:45 (I know!) so this winter has been a huge pain, where I sit around and wait to find out if I have to go in. I usually do have to go in, and then I sit in all this 7:15 am traffic AND bad weather traffic where everyone drives sooooo slow. Last year when I was a newbie and the first major snowfall came, I realized that morning while I had e-mail on my phone and knew to call the snow line, I didn’t know what time they made the call at. I figured that since so many people came in early, it had to be early and they would have made it by now, so I made the trek in. The chairman of the board saw me in the kitchen as I was putting my lunch away and said “Oh no. I just called and told them to alert everyone that we’d be closed.” I was so angry and stormed out. He told HR and HR sent me an e-mail about reading my employee manual. It was fun.

3. My co-worker published her first YA novel last year. I read it with trepidation because, uh, what if it sucks? What if I won’t be able to look at her the same. I dunno why I was worried because she is an awesome writer, but the book was really good and sweet. Have I talked about this before? Possibly. Sorry. BUT don’t click x yet..she has a new book coming out March 31 and I’m super duper pumped. Above is the new cover that I love so much. Speaking of books, I can’t help myself, I read a good one this weekend. I was in the mood for a easy, breezy, (beautiful, cover girl) read and this book was just the ticket. It was the kind of book where I delayed finishing it because it was such a fun ride. Tomato, toh-mato, but read if you want and let me know what you thought.

4. I got a bunch of Amazon gift cards for Christmas and so I purchased a few kettlebells because I always thought they looked cool and effective. I did a kettle bells Tone It Up workout yesterday and I freaking loved it. It was one of those workouts where in the middle of it I thought ‘Wow I really like this!’ That never happens. Usually I’m huffing and puffing, counting the minutes until it ends, while feeling embarrassed at how weak and out of breath I am. I am so sore today and I forgot how good it is to wake up feeling a good kind of sore. I keep meaning to actually follow a weekly TIU schedule but keep forgetting (or making excuses) but hope springs eternal so let’s see what I can do this week. It was humbling when somebody found out I get home from work around 4 and exclaimed “wow so you have all kinds of time”, which I do, but I also possess a potent arsenal of excuses and incredible laziness.

5. One of my roommates is engaged and moving out so I am getting a new roommate soon. Saturday morning my lovely (not sarcasm! i’m so lucky and really love her) landlord and I met with potential tenants. My other two roommates were at work so I took my duty very, very seriously. I was all jazzed to meet the potentials and told my roommates “I will take care of getting alllllll the dirt!” Then when the candidates were live and in front of me I realized I didn’t have much to ask. ‘True or false and only answer false: I like to kill people in my spare time? Have you ever at any point in time lived a city and forgotten to close the and/or lock the front door leaving the premises vulnerable to robbery?’ Do you agree that J.K. Rowling is a flaw free human? How often do you bake and what is your philosophy on roommates who eat all of what you bake? Are you in possession of a cute, single older brother who loves girls in sweatpants and is interested in wooing your roommate whose name starts with a C and ends in an AITLYN?’ Hmmph. They, in turn, also had interesting questions beyond the standard. One mom asked how the water water pressure was and found it hilario when I replied with a verbose “good.” What else is there to say about water pressure? The same mom, upon finding out that I moved here from another state, asked how I met people. I said “Oh, the Internet.” It’s true but she was quite confused so I can only imagine what she must have thought. Also,I kept my room door shut during the tours but forgot to turn my TV off and at one point while we were marching on past to the 3rd floor, the potential roommate asked “Is that the spongebob theme song?” UH NO. You’ll be living with all professional adults. That is another very serious show about serious, professional topics whose theme song is “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea…” obvi. Saturday cartoons 4eva.

*bonus 6th: I recently discovered – via social media of course – a new app that is supposed to help you fall asleep. It’s basically a sounds app. You can play all kinds of different sounds while you fall asleep. Some of them are so funny – like “frogs”, which is, you guessed it, frogs ribbit-ing. I always go for the water sounds – “rain on roof”, “thunderstorm”, “rainstorm’, “heavy rain” – and while it doesn’t help me fall asleep faster it’s very soothing.

This song came on my I-pod in my drive home and I forgot how much I love it.

Whoa it’s been a long time since I managed to join in the MIMM party with Katie.

Urghhhh Monday why do you have to come back so often? Go away. I’m putting the blame for this squarely on the winter we’re all having, but damn time seems to be going so slow. Usually I’m like “WHAT?! How is it whatever month already?’ but winter is dragging. I am so sick of cleaning my car off and all the salt on my car. I am so sick of all the snow and ice, and not getting a snow day. What good is all of this if I don’t get a day off? All my teacher friends are whining on social media about how they are actively hoping against snow days, but I’m all “um. I will take them. thanks.” 🙂

I went home to PA this weekend to see my parents (and our labradoodle Maggie!!!!!). I also had to go to the dentist- haha. I really should get around to researching and starting to see doctors in Maryland but I like all of my doctors in PA. My dentist said “I remember you’re an avid reader, do you have a Nook or a Kindle?” He was thinking of getting his daughter one, so of course I gushed about my Kindle and how it actually IS the greatest thing since sliced bread, and he replied with “Yeah, that’s the way the world is going. All those publishers will be put of business real soon.” Awkward comment considering…I work for a publisher.

We also went to the locksmith to get another spare key for my car. The locksmith had ordered another key a few weeks ago and we went so they could program the new key to my car. The associate asked if I could move my car and pull around to the back where the computer could reach (or something). The neighborhood was filled with one way streets so the associate gave me directions. In typical Caitlyn fashion, I got lost. It took a loooong 15 minutes for me to make my way to the freaking back of the store. When I pulled up, the employees clapped. Every mundane easy task is needlessly more difficult when you’re Caitlyn. Oh, and they couldn’t make a spare because it says right on the key “dealer only programming”. Productive outing.

My mom and I went to get our nails done. I have a new favorite color- peace, love and OPI. I think it’s just so cool-looking.

That night, I went out with my parents and neighbors to a local bar. I was really fortunate and had such a great childhood- our neighborhood was filled with kids my age and overall really nice people. It’s been so fun to get to hang out with “the parents” now that I’m older. So many are empty nesters now, and they’re always planning parties. One of the neighbors was bar tending and later on in the night we noticed a cousin behind a bar as well, so my dad asked why I brought my purse, when clearly I wouldn’t be carded with all the family around, and when my parents were going to pay. He put my purse in the car and we forgot all about it. Big error.

Sunday morning, he left early for Vegas (!! just a work trip, although he gamely put up with all my super lame, cliche jokes about getting married by Elvis, finding a tiger in the bathroom and getting bad tattoos). I was asleep when he left – and he drove his car with my purse in it to the airport. I was in my car about to pull away to drive back to MD, and I leapt out of my car and ran into the house shrieking at my mom (and nearly steamrolling Maggie) “DID DAD BRING MY PURSE BACK IN?” Nope. My credit cards, license, insurance cards, cash, all that fun stuff.

So my mom and I trekked the 25 minutes to the airport with his spare key to retrieve my purse. We missed the garage twice and had to keep circling the airport. Then we couldn’t figure out his vague directions – “my car is by a pole, which is half garage A and garage B.” What the what? I am the girl who got lost going around the block yesterday, Dad. We finally found his car, and lo and behold, wouldn’t you guess….the remote didn’t work. Are you asleep yet? Sorry this is dull. It was really interesting in person I swear, I just am a horrible storyteller. Trust. My dad has a car where you just have a remote and no key, and you just press a button to get it started. He hates it. The batteries in the spare remote were dead and the purse was so close, yet so unattainable. It was comical. So my mom gave me her debit card until my dad gets back home Wednesday night. OY.

Did you watch Toned Up? You know I’m a Bravo junkie/super skeptic, and it’s one of my favorite shows to air on Bravo ever. I laughed, I said “awwww!!!”, and I pouted because I wanted to be their friend and hang out with them. I freaking loved it. It probably won’t get a second season…but it should. I am 110% certain Andy Cohen reads this blog so hey Andy. Season 2. Do it. So if you haven’t watched the show, watch it and tweet about it- and maybe if Bravo sees enough tweets a season 2 will happen? 🙂 I also had such a great time every week at our viewing party here in B’more. I met so many awesome ladies!

If you read to the end, sorry and I love you. Thanks to Katie for hosting!

Now that I drive the 25-30 minutes to work everyday, I’ve been dreading winter and the snow that will more than likely come along with it. It’s funny..I was “stalking” myself on Facebook and last December I posted “Friday afternoon snow is the worst. Snow, heed the memo: You can only arrive Sunday-Thursday.”

Ah, how things change in a year! Now it’s the complete opposite. I pray snow comes on weekends, if it has to come at all.

Ever since I started driving six years ago, I’ve flat-out refused to drive in the snow, except for senior year of high school when it started snowing heavily after I got to school, we then were dismissed three hours later, and I had to drive home in it. I’m still proud of myself for that drive.

Now here I am, at work, the day after Christmas and it’s snowing. Lightly. Less than an inch but I’ve still been a mess of nerves all morning and done nothing but fret. The guy sitting and working in the office next to my cubicle is probably not impressed with the fact that he’s had to listen to me call my dad four times, reading Tweets, snippets from articles, quoting Weather.com, and describing in detail my own views from the office, then asking him what it sounds like I should do.

My dad: “Well, can you leave? Will you get in trouble? Are you allowed?”

Me: “Ah, I don’t know if I’m allowed…but no one’s here! It won’t even matter, I don’t have anymore work to do, it’s probably fine if I just go!”

(Guy In Office Next To Me is probably taking notes to report back to my boss. But it’s true, my two bosses aren’t here and I am the only one in my department! Guy In Office Next To Me is also only one in his department). I am probably a horrible employee, planning to ditch the second snow starts to fall.

My dad patiently checked all the articles I quoted at him and Weather.com (I have a tendency to exaggerate when I’m nervous, he needs to fact check me), told me it was probably best to stay, since it’s supposed to lighten up and the temperatures will rise.

I’m still dreading my drive home. I use mostly highways and a few city roads that should be fine. It’s my own quiet street I’ll have to worry about. I just realized I’m the only roommate home and I’ll have to shovel our parking pad. I have a very distinct vision of parking my car, only to have it start skidding on an icy parking pad and crashing into my house, knocking it down, and subsequently knocking our neighbors houses (we have a rowhouse) down and killing their children (the parents somehow escape in this fiasco and never forgive me).

I should probably stop writing about this and only write positive thoughts. I’m sure my drive home will be fine, but I’m still terrified. It’s already stopped snowing.

So…about my snow problem. Where I live isn’t Buffalo or New Hampshire or anything. We don’t get a ton of snow (fingers crossed), but we get some. I have to get used to driving in the snow.

But I’m also very strongly considering taking the city bus during snow days. But I’ve never, ever taken a city bus before and I’m not sure how to do it. I would probably just get on and off downtown and walk a few blocks. To get to and from my house directly would involve switching buses, which sounds horribly confusing. I’d most definitely mess it up. I don’t have much sense with those types of things.

Having never taken MTA bus before, any advice? I’m nervous about taking it alone (I’m a girl, if you’d forgotten) and I also don’t know how to take it. How do I know which bus is mine? If the trip planner on MTA site tells me “Bus toward 87 Easy Street”, I wait at my stop for the bus that says “87 Easy Street” across the banner/sign thing on the front of it? Do they announce the stops? And would they announce my stop as “87 Easy Street” or just “Easy Street?” That last question is just me wondering. If they said “Easy Street” or “87 Easy Street”, I’m not that pathetic that I wouldn’t know to get off. I just want to be prepared. How do I pay for my bus? I don’t want to hold up the line of the usual riders.